Three Minnesota conservative groups whose Golden Valley offices burned earlier this year in a suspected arson are significantly boosting their reward for information leading to an arrest.

The Center of the American Experiment, Upper Midwest Law Center and Take Charge are now offering up to $100,000 for information on the fire at their offices. If one person is arrested and convicted, the reward is $50,000, and the amount doubles if the information turns up a second.

Federal law enforcement is investigating the suspected arson, which happened in the early morning hours of Jan. 28 at an office building in the 8000 block of Wayzata Boulevard.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is investigating with the FBI, Minnesota State Fire Marshal, Golden Valley fire, Hennepin County fire investigative team and Hennepin County sheriff, an ATF spokesperson said in February.

Security camera

So far, very little information has been released in the case, though Center of the American Experiment president John Hinderaker said an individual could be seen on a security camera holding what appears to be a gasoline can before the fire started.

“As far as I know, that is the only video footage anybody’s got, said Hinderaker. “It seems to me that whoever carried out this crime was relatively professional. They don’t seem to have made any the rookie mistakes, you know, that often get criminals caught.”

Initially, the groups had offered a reward of up to $15,000 for information, but there still haven’t been any major developments in the case, at least publicly. Hinderaker said they hope the boost will be an added incentive for someone with knowledge of the case to come forward.

“It’s been a little over two months, without any arrests,” he said. “We thought that having an eye-catching reward might shake something loose.”

Information can be submitted to the FBI by phone at 763-569-8000 or online at tips.fbi.gov.

Two fires

The suspected arson happened in an office building occupied by the three conservative groups and several other tenants, including the Manufacturers Alliance, a chiropractor and psychologists’ offices.

Two fires were set in the building: one on the first floor in the hall between Take Charge and American Experiment, and the other on the third floor outside the office of the Upper Midwest Law Center.

“The corridor looks like a bomb went off. The elevators are destroyed, and that whole south half of the middle of the building is destroyed,” said Hinderaker, noting that the offices of his organization didn’t burn because the fire department was able to arrive in time to knock down the blaze.

Still, the damage was extensive enough to shut the building down for more than a year, he said. Staff have been working remotely, though they’re moving into a new office on April 15.

Hinderaker in February said there’s no evidence of fire damage on the second floor, and that he believes his and the other organizations were targeted for their politics.

Conservative groups

The three organizations displaced by the fire are key players in Minnesota’s conservative politics. The Center of the American Experiment refers to itself as “Minnesota’s Think Tank” and regularly publishes analysis of Minnesota public affairs from a conservative perspective.

The Upper Midwest Law Center is involved in many legal cases advancing conservative priorities.

Take Charge is headed by former Republican gubernatorial and congressional candidate Kendall Qualls and his wife Sheila. Its aim is “to inspire and educate black and other minority communities of their full rights and privileges as Americans granted to them by the Constitution,” according to the group’s website.

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